Blind for curved, sinuous, and irregular openings



July 16,1957 4 F. J. L. BARON] 2,799,333

BLIND FOR CURVEID, SINUOUS AND IRREGULAR OPENINGS Filed June 28. 1954 3Shaets- Sheet 1 INVENTOR E J. L. BARON! ATTORNEYS F. J. L. BARONI July16, 1957 BLIND FOR CURVED,

Filed June 28, 1954 SINUOUS AND IRREGULAR OPENINGS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTQR 5.1, 1.. BARON! ATTORNEYS y 6,1957 F. J. L. BARONI 2,799,333

BLIND FOR CURVED, smuous my IRREGULAR OPENINGS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 FiledJune 28. 1954 J INVENTOR E J. L. BARON! ATTORNEYS BLIND FOR CURVED,SINUOUS, AND IRREGULAR OPENINGS This invention relates to a blind forcurved, sinuous and, in general, irregular openings.-

This blind can be applied to advantage on openings with curved orsinuous lines, and also on irregular lines for large or small openingsin buildings.

The blind is of the type in which the inclination of the slats can bevaried. It also has the advantage that it can be applied to curved,sinuous openings, or it can follow irregular openings, as it has anumber of sections or panels of slats that can be extended to increaseits length, or shortened to reduce its length.

This blind, applied to curved or sinuous openings, as well as having avaried inclination of the slats to regulate the passage of air and lightor cut off the same, can also leave the opening totally or partiallyfree.

Its application covers a broad field because, as well as beingapplicable to buildings, it can also be applied to openings in any kindof vehicles.

In order that the invention may be fully understood, references will nowbe made to the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows in elevation a rotary and sliding connection that unite oneend of a slat of one panel to a slat of an adjacent panel;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l as seen from the top;

Fig. 3 shows in dotted lines how the slats of the blind may be extendedto cover an opening of sinuous lines and at the same time shows in fulllines how the slats are positioned when they are drawn back and overlapin the form of stairs when the length of the blind is shortened;

Fig. 4 is an end elevation with all slats in a horizontal position,showing how they remain when they are drawn back and are overlapping;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary front elevation of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 4 with the slats tilted and extended;and

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but with the slats tilted and theblind extended.

The blind is composed of a number of panels of rectangular slats 1,preferably made of duraluminum or other appropriate material, the widthand length of which will be in accordance to the opening in which itwill operate. Each One of these slats, which present a concave-convexprofile, have in the middle a hollow cylindrical rib 2 extending thefull length, forming a cylindrical cavity 3 which communicates with thelower or concave face of the slats through a longitudinal opening 4 andtransverse slots 4 at the ends of the openings 4. Said cylindrical rib 2extends beyond the ends of said slats and forms the connections 5 and 6that support the slats. Said slats are formed on both sides with tubularborders 7 which terminate in bolts 8 at their ends to articulate withthe supporting bushes 9 that are fastened to vertical supports 10 and11, which vertical supports 11 act as a cover for the connections. Attheir lower ends the supports 11 are provided with grooved wheels 12 sothat they can be guided on rail 13. The upper end carries a bolt 14which fits into the holes 15 of anchorage supports 16.

United States Patent 0 "ice 2,799,333 Patented July 16, 1957 Bolts 17are fixed to connecting links 5 and are supported from above by straps19. Bolts 17 are provided in the ends of the ribs 2 on the end slidingpanel and are united one with the other by a support 18 whichsimultaneously works each series of overlapping slats.

Supports 19 are joined to upper bolt 17 or 17"- of each section or panelof slats 1. At the upper ends of supports. 19 are two grooved wheels 20which run on rails 21 formed in the support or tubular lintel 22 topermit the passage of hanging supports 19 through the opening 23. Thetop part of lintel 22 is held by a number of anchorage supports 24.

Supports 25 are similar to the hanging supports 19 and are also providedwith wheels that run on the rails of the hollow support 22. The lowerend of support 25 is joined to. bolt 26 that is fixed to the hollowconnecting link 6' of slat 1 of onepanel of slats. All other lowerslats 1. have, a bolt 27 fixed to them, which overlaps a perpendicularrod '28 provided with a sphere 29 at its upper end. Rod 28 enters thelongitudinal opening 4 to the cavity 3 where said sphere 29 is placedand works as a sliding connection between the two overlapping slats.

A handle 30 is joined to one or more vertical supports 11 to operate theblind and vary the inclination of the slats.

When the blind is folded longitudinally, that is, in a transversedirection to the opening to which it is applied, all slats areoverlapped in groups, in this manner reducing to the minimum the lengthof the blind, as can be seen in Figs. 4 and 5, duly guided into place bytubular lintel 22 and rail 13, which should have the same curves,sinuosities and irregular lines to coincide one with the other, so thatthe blind may be extended and drawn back correctly.

Pulling the support 18 from right to left, pulls, through bolts 17*,connecting links 5 of the slats of the first panel of slats.

On pulling bolts 17 the slats 1, link 6, bolt 27, rod 28 and sphere 29slide longitudinally until the ball 29 runs against bolt 17, which thenpulls the immediate upper slat, repeating this operation according tothe number of panels of overlapping slats the blind has.

The blind is then extended, guided in both upper and lower ends bylintel 22 and rail 13 following the outline of the opening. The blindcan easily follow the sinuous or irregular path travelled, becausebetween each lower and upper slat there is a connection that, as well asbeing a slide, acts as an articulation on the vertical axis, permittingit to travel any distance to extend it partially or totally or to drawit back.

Inclination of slats can be varied when the blind is extended by takingthe handle 30 and having bolt 4 fit into gne of the anchorage holes 15,as can be seen in Fig.

In order that slats 1 may revolve on the axis of bolts 17 and 17 theconnecting link 5 has a radial cut 4, whichcan be seen in Figs. 1 and 7,so that rods 28 that connect elements 27 to spheres 29 permit rotationof the slats 1. While rods 28 are in opening 4 the slats 1 cannot rotateinto inclined position.

In order to draw back these blinds the slats are placed horizontally, asshown in Fig. 4. Support 18 is pushed from left to right so that thelower slats of each panel or section of slats runs beneath the slats ofthe next adjacent panel until spheres 29 in each case run against bolts27 of the next panel, drawing it back. Then, as shown in Fig. 5 in whichthere are only three sections, on keeping on pushing the intermediatepanel of slats run against bolt 26 to reduce the length of the blindstill further, and in these conditions the entire blind can be guidedinto place by tracks 22 and 13 to one side of the opening, or be hiddenin a cavity formed for this purpose on one side of the frame of theopening to which the blind has been applied, (not shown).

It is evident that whenputting this invention into practice the mostappropriate materials may be used and modifications of constructivedetails may be introduced without, however, departing from the sphere ofthe invention.

I claim exclusive rights on my invention as follows:

1. A laterally extensible Venetian blind comprising a first panel madeup of a first vertical column of concavee'onvex h riz n al slat each lhaving a ce al ong tudinal hollow rib extending the length of the slatand there yond t e ch end, s i hollow rib presenting a narrowlongitudinal pening on the under urface of each sla a second pa el m dup of a second verticfl.v c l mn of slats similar to saidabove-described first column of slats, one end of. each. slat in saisecon olumn b i g sli ably suspen ed from a sl n. s id fir t, column ymeans slidable within said hollow ribs of a slat in said first column,and means lidable in a track t he hea oi said columns to support thefree ends of said second column, slats.

2. The laterally extensible Venetian blind of claim 1,

in which the sliding support between adjacent panels is such that theseveral panels are articulated whereby the blind may be mountedon acurved track to follow the shape of a curved Window.

3. A laterally extensible Venetian blind for windows or other openingscomprising a stationary and a plurality of sliding panels of tiltableslats, one end of the slats of the sliding panels being supported fromthe slats of an adjacent panel, the other ends of the slats of thesliding panels and the slats of the stationary panel being sup- Portedfrom a rack at the op of the openin 4. The extensible Venetian blind ofclaim 3, in which the slats of each sliding panel are supported from theadjacent panel by means of a pivotal and sliding member whereby thepanels may follow a curved track to conform to the plan of the opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Beanr.v r Dec. 19, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS

